Walter Kolby
Buffalo, New York
Welterweight
1943-1949

Walter Kolby, born August 11,1924 in Buffalo, NewYork, was one of Buffalo's outstanding southpaw fighters to make the grade.

He started his amateur career in 1940 and punched his way to winning the 1942 Niagara District Golden Gloves featherweight championship, & earning the nickname "Blasdell Butcher Boy." He was also awarded the "Billy Kelly Plaque", emblematic of the outstanding titlist of the Golden Glove tourney, and for showing the most promise of attaining future greatness in the ring sport.

Kolby turned pro in 1943, leaving behind an amateur record of 29 victories in 36 ring starts. He started his campaign in the professional ranks as a lightweight, gradually working his way up to the welterweight division, and entering the service in mid 1943.

Kolby had gone undefeated in 19 pro bouts, defeating ranked fighters Willie Roach and Del Cockayne, before experiencing his first loss against world featherweight champion, Willie Pep in Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium.

Pep, who won 228 fights (the most ever) in an illustrious career, stopped Walter at the 2:26 minute mark of the 5th round, with Kolby bleeding freely and partly blinded when the collodion mixture used on a deep cut above his left eye started to drip into the optic. Kolby, reeling and helpless, was an easy target for the sharp shooting Pep. The deep cut was inflicted by the two fighters bumping heads in the first round.

A hard punching southpaw, Kolby rolled up eleven kayos among his 26 victories. He lost only five times with one draw.

Walter Kolby closed his career in 1949 losing to number two-ranked Del Flanagan in New York's famed Madison Square Garden.

Walter Kolby's flashy boxing style and slick combinations brought many thrills to fans in the Western New York area.